One problem that is continuously experienced in use of the receiver type hitches is that since the receiver tube is slightly larger than the mount's shank, the hitch arrangement is characterized by a rattle effect due to the space formed between the outer peripheral surface of the shank and the inner peripheral surface of the receiver tube and, consequently, due to the shank selectively engaging side walls of the receiver tube during motion.
Prior to the present invention, efforts have been made to eliminate the rattling.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,989 issued to Linger discloses one type of a rattle eliminating device which includes a collar, an adjustment bolt, a lock nut and a second nut. The collar has a center wall and two side walls forming a U-shaped bracket that can fit over a reinforcing lip of the hitch receiver tube. A front wall on the collar has an opening for receiving a mount shank as it enters the receiver tube. An adjustment bolt extends through the center wall to tighten the collar onto the hitch receiver tube. When the adjustment bolt is tightened, the center wall of the collar moves upward and away from the receiver tube, causing the opening in the front wall to lift the shank against the inner wall of the tube and prevent it from moving within the tube. The lock nut then holds the entire anti-rattle assembly into position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,539 issued to Kravitz discloses another type of the rattle eliminating device which includes a bridge element, a spaced pair of flanges secured to and projecting from the bridge element so that the bridge element and the flanges together straddle at least one of the receiver and shank, the flanges being connected to at least one of the receiver and shank, and the mechanism includes a spaced pair of projections each engaging a different one of the receiver and shank whereby to tighten the telescopic connection therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,147 issued to Kolda teaches a system which includes an engagement or locking member, which may be in the form of a cam, that is movably mounted within an interior defined by the shank. An actuator arrangement is carried by the shank and is interconnected with the cam, for moving the cam between an operative position and a release position. The cam bears against the receiver tube, and is configured such that movement of the cam from the release position to the operative position, in response to operation of the actuator arrangement, causes the cam to move laterally through an opening in the shank into engagement with an internal surface defined by the receiver tube. In this manner, the cam applies a lateral force that urges the shank laterally into engagement with an internal surface defined by the receiver tube. The actuator arrangement may be in the form of a rotatable knob secured to the shank, which is interconnected with an actuator rod that moves axially in response to rotation of the rotatable knob so as to cause pivoting movement of the cam between the operative position and the release position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,102 issued to Koliopoulos it is attempted to provide a clamp that locks two telescoping components such as a vehicle receiver hitch and a draw bar, for substantially reducing if not eliminating the “banging” or “rattling” between the two components. The clamp includes a standard sized U-bolt, whose throat rests in a seat formed by a receiver hitch collar and a receiver hitch tube. A bar has an arc-shaped cross-section and includes two holes adapted for receiving the threaded ends of the U-bolt. When the draw bar is inserted into the receiver hitch, the arc-shaped side of the bar is positioned within a seat formed by the receiver hitch collar and the draw bar. Standard locking style nuts are threaded onto the legs of the U-bolt and tightened, causing the arc-shaped side of the bar to be wedged against the receiver hitch collar and the draw bar, while wedging the U-bolt throat against the opposite side of the receiver hitch collar and the receiver hitch. This effectively “clamps” or locks the draw bar and the receiver hitch together, eliminating any movement of the two pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,175 issued to Speer teaches a hitch shank that includes two apertures which a securing pin is indexed through. The first aperture is not within the receiver hitch and contains a threaded interior which coincides with a threaded exterior of a securing pin. The second aperture is located inside the receiver tube and includes an interior wedge member which extends towards the interior of the hitch shank and is parallel with the securing pin. The securing pin includes one tapered end for frictional engagement with both the wedge member and the interior wall of the receiver tube, and a second end for grasping, then rotating the securing pin. As the securing pin is rotated and tightened against the wedge member and the interior wall of the receiver tube, the hitch shank is pressed firmly against the receiver tube towards the side opposing the tapered securing pin end, thereby eliminating all undesired movement between the receiver tube and the hitch shank.
However, the prior art devices and systems are disadvantaged by higher than desirable complexity of installation and quantity of the required components and therefore are characterized by higher than desirable manufacturing and maintenance costs.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for an improved system for preventing rattling in a receiver hitch arrangement.